M'Lou Elkins
Livingroom Makes the Kind of Music that Fans of Melodic Indie Rock and Pop will Flock To
Chicago’s indie pop-rock band Livingroom got started in 2018 as a backing group for their high school’s variety show. 2021 sees the band releasing their debut LP Don’t Shoot the Messenger!, the follow-up to their debut EP Honeybee, and settling into their groove as a serious band with a signature sound.
According to the band, Don’t Shoot the Messenger! was almost entirely written during the pandemic the album “is a statement on the ways relationships (platonic and romantic alike) can throw themselves together and disintegrate just as fast. Most importantly, the album offers an answer. Change starts with the individual. At its core, the album itself is something like a cry for help, a distress signal, a message; Livingroom is the proverbial messenger.”
The band blends into their sound a smattering of genres from indie rock, pop-rock and alternative. The songs on their album are a mixture of fast and slow, up-tempo, jam-packed with tons of melody and tongue-in-cheek repartees that to the casual observer might seem to be a bunch of friends just having a good time jamming together. Though this might be the case, at the same time, these tracks look to be serious musicians determined to hone their craft as songwriters and artists. I think they have successfully done both as this album feels like a good first look into the band’s sound.
Don’t Shoot the Messenger! begins with “August II,” where reverb-drenched guitars are beautifully arranged alongside piano keys that gives off the impression that the band is just warming up. The sound swells for a mesmerizing intro to their album. Right from the start, the music takes off with a great pop-based feel on “Keeping Time.” The bouncy beats and contagious melodies were a happening, poppy treat. The guitar solo was another great highlight. Their sound was reminiscent of Ben Folds Five and Wakey Wakey. Lone guitar riffs sound out on “Mickey The Daydreamer.” Once the lead vocalist’s fabulous crooner-style vocals arrived, I was reminded of the likes of Frank Sinatra, the Rat Pack and Michael Bublé.
Synths provide an atmospheric backdrop on “Window Shopping.” As the sauntering sounds kicks in, I was arrested by the easy-going pull of the music. The lead vocalist once more enlists his crooner-style vocal powers. This felt like a charming song with a great inviting appeal. The keys highlighted in a solo showed some more of the brand’s retro influences. As drums settle into the groove of this track alongside some melodic guitars, the band returns to their indie-rock sound on “Easy (Basically Every Color Of The Sunset).” Female vocals blend well with the lead singer’s voice for a powerful and infectious duet. The band shows their more vulnerable side with “Sabrina’s Song.” Focusing on the simplistic sound of acoustic guitar and vocals, there was a stripped quality to this song that I found very resonating. Slowly, a fuller band backing arises as some bluesy guitar riffs sound out for a mesmerizing listen.
“Tangents (Aside)” begins with soft piano, but the energy of the piano grows into a soaring ballad as the lead singer’s powerful vocals deliver an emotionally powered release. Toward “SOS,” driven strumming on the acoustic guitar erupts to start off the track, then is replaced by melodic guitars backed by drums for a shimmering vibe. On the title track “Livingroom,” piano sends out a very haunting vibe until guitars are slowly woven into the sounds, and mixed with the sound of somber horns. The lush orchestrations feel like a very lovely backdrop, and once the vocals enter, the band lets us know what they are all about with this epic closer.
Filled with melodic indie-rock and pop flavors, the band displayed a lot of good energy, each member contributing their startling energy on this record for a full-on display of their talents. The band shows great potential and it looks like they are just getting started. With that in mind, what a beginning this is. Don’t Shoot the Messenger! is a great introduction to the band’s sound and I look forward to seeing more of their music realized in upcoming releases.
Following Livingroom on Instagram.
